iPhones And iPads Infringe Motorola Patents

Motorola Mobility has managed to prove its case in front of International Trade Commission. Judge Thomas Pender has decided, in a preliminary hearing, that Apple has infringed Motorola's patents with the iPhone and iPad, among other products.

Procedure asks that a preliminary ruling is to be reviewed by a full panel of ITC judges. Consequently, Apple won't have to suffer immediate repercussions from the recent decision, where the final ruling on this matter is expected in August.

The patents that are subject of this lawsuit describe noise elimination and other interference, during voice transmission. Apple has explained to the court that the US patent no. 6,246,697, owned by Motorola, covers essential standards in wireless technology.

Apple has also accused its adversary of refusing to license this technology under "fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms."

FRAND is the ‘gentlemen's agreement' standard for the smartphone industry, relating to the patent licensing arrangements. In theory, patent owners agree to give up exclusive rights but gain much more in return, including licensing fees and the opportunity that their technology will be widely adopted.

In reality, FRAND didn't work out so well, hence the fierce legal wars among the top players in the industry.